Warning: This article discusses topics of racism and child abuse.
No matter how hard I tried, I could never like these TV show characters who could never be redeemed. Over the years, there have been manypoorly executed redemption arcs in TV shows. It’s irritating when a character who doesn’t deserve redemption gets it, but, thankfully, there are some TV figures who never get the chance.
It’s not uncommon for belovedTV characters to be their own worst enemies. Sometimes, a character’s own actions cause their downfall, but this doesn’t necessarily make them more likeable or worthy of a redemption storyline. Regardless of why,these TV characters could absolutely never be redeemed, and their fates are already long sealed.
10Joffrey Baratheon
Game Of Thrones (2011-2019)
While there are severalirredeemable TV charactersinGame of Thrones, the most hated by far is Joffrey Baratheon.Joffrey is unbearable enough in the beginning of the show,but after he takes the throne, he somehow gets even worse. Cersei’s eldest son is spoiled and cruel for no other reason than his apparent enjoyment, annoyingly.
Joffrey’s behavior is shocking and disturbing, especially in how he treats Sansa. Even years afterGame of Thrones’ ending,there’s no way any of us could imagine Joffrey being redeemed, and even if it were possible, it’d be impossible to justify it.His death in season 4 is one of the most satisfying moments throughout the show, and if any character deserves it, it’s Joffrey.
9Andy Bernard
The Office (2005-2013)
The wayAndy Bernard changes inThe Office’s later seasonsfrustrates me to my very core. While Andy is an irritating enough character when he wants to be, he does have moments of redemption. However,after Andy’s boat trip in season 8, his entire character goes massively downhill.The usually cheerful and sweet man treats everyone with utter disrespect, and it’s disappointing to witness.
It’s baffling that he fights so hard to be with Erin again, only to suddenly vanish. Andy is also completely unfair to Nellie. Although she takes his job,Andy’s rudeness and direct attempts to sabotage Nellie’s life make absolutely no sense for his character.I love Andy in his earlier episodes ofThe Office, but after the boat trip, he has no hope.
8Marcia Langman
Parks And Recreation (2009-2017)
Marcia Langman is easilythe worst of Pawnee citizens inParks and Recreation, and she’s even more unbearable than her husband, Marshall.Although Marshall appears to be as bad as his wife, it’s clear that he follows her around like a dogand agrees with whatever he’s told.Marcia is bigoted and unreasonable, andwhile she believes that it’s for the greater good, she’s more of a nuisance than she is a saviour.She states that she’s an activist for the Society for Family Stability Foundation, but she only ever appears when she’s directly opposing one of Leslie’s projects.
Between arguing against gay penguins and trying to stop senior citizen sexual health education,Marcia has way too much time on her hands.She’s designed to be unlikeable with no depth, but Marcia is still a comic relief character I cannot possibly picture being redeemed for any reason.
7Monica Gallagher
Shameless (2011-2021)
In comparison to other notable TV mothers,Shameless’ Monica Gallagher isn’t exactly winning the award for best mom.The Gallagher family tree inShamelessis complex and full of names, butMonica frequently forgets about the five kids she abandons regularly.All the characters inShamelessare irredeemable to a certain degree, but Monica is the worst.
Monica never grows up, nor does she ever truly take responsibility for her family or actions. She turns up when she feels like it, and feels entitled to everything. At one point,Monica thinks she can take Liam from Fiona out of the bluebecause she decides she wants to raise a family with Bob.
I shudder every time Monica appears, as I know Fiona and the kids are about to be traumatized again.Monica is an astounding character and one that can’t be redeemed,even in death.
6Joe Miller
Broadchurch (2013-2017)
WhileBroadchurchdoesn’t try to directly redeem Joe,the hit detective TV show does push the character down a path that makes him believe he is worthy of redemption.Danny Latimer’s killer inBroadchurchruins several lives, including his own family. Joe claims he was in love with Danny, a detail that isn’t really touched upon after season 1.However, just because this isn’t mentioned again, it doesn’t mean it isn’t fact. It’s chilling, especially asJoe also states that his relationship with Danny wasn’t sexual, but there’s no coming back from it.Even if Joe has some potential chance at redemption, he messes it up by pleading not guilty.
Joe Miller only appears in episodes 5 and 6 ofBroadchurchseason 3.
Frustratingly,after Joe is banished from the town by the locals, he still tries to defend his murderous actions.His conversation with Mark in season 3 is harrowing, and it’s mind-blowing that Joe feels sorry for himself because of the new, low-key lifestyle he’s been forced into.
5Zoey Pierson
How I Met Your Mother (2005-2014)
I find many ofTed’s girlfriends inHow I Met Your Motherunlikeable, but especially Zoey Pierson. From the beginning,Zoey proves she is unreliable and shouldn’t be trusted.She turns on the waterworks when she doesn’t get her own way, and even when she is being genuinely emotional, it’s hard to feel sorry for her, especially as her actions are usually to blame.
What’s particularly frustrating, though, is how she ends up dating Ted. Zoey may have been young when she married the Captain, but he truly cares about her.The Captain isn’t abusive and does what she wants to keep her happy,even if it impacts him. Plus, it’s baffling how manipulative Zoey is when she tries to convince Ted to give up the Arcadia project.
She knows what Ted’s plan is; it’s not news to her, but Zoey expects everyone to bend to her will.Ted isn’t really selfish in letting go of their romance;he’s using his common sense.
4Dr. Luisa Alver
Jane The Virgin (2014-2019)
DespiteJane the Virgin’s attempts to redeem Rafael’s sister, Dr. Luisa Alver, it never really works, andthe character always finds a way to ruin it for herself rather quickly.Luisa claims to care about her family, especially her nephew and nieces, yet time and time again, she runs back into Rose’s arms, even though she knows what her lover/stepmother is capable of.
Luisa’s struggles with alcohol can only somewhat justify her actions, though. Deep down,she’s just a love-struck little girl who is caught up in Rose’s web of manipulation.There are plenty of opportunities for Luisa to break away from Rose, but she always believes her lies, and doesn’t really try to think for herself.
3Lindy Pepper-Bean
Doctor Who (2022-)
Doctor Whoseason 14’s “Dot and Bubble”introduces one of the most frustrating supporting characters in the show’s history: Lindy Pepper-Bean. WhileLindy’s true morals and beliefs don’t become apparent until the end of the episode,she’s still irritating before this revelation. Lindy is self-obsessed and constantly faces a flurry of obsessive comments from her so-called friends.
She is always fawning over singer Ricky September, but when she finally meets him while trying to escape the slug-like aliens, Lindy throws him under the bus, revealing his real name to the Dot and leaving him to die. Still,none of this is as bad as Lindy being a racist.
Thankfully, the universe is a big place, butit still makes me so angry when she reveals her true self.Hopefully, we won’t see her in the currently unconfirmedDoctor Whoseason 16, but if we do, she deserves an unfortunate fate.
2Charlie Wheeler
Friends (1994-2004)
Friends’ Charlie Wheeler is easily one of mymost hated TV show love rivals.Charlie is unbelievably out-of-touch, but she never has to really address it,especially as the men in her life eat her up. She constantly talks about her famous and successful exes, and then has the gumption to break both Ross and Joey’s hearts. Thankfully, their friendship isn’t hugely impacted by this.
Charlie’s romance with Joey isn’t too bad, but she definitely treats Ross awfully. She has basically zero reaction to how Ross responds toJoey and Rachel’s relationship, which is weird.The most baffling moment of Charlie’s, though, is when she kisses and gets back together with her ex-boyfriend,Benjamin Hobart, right in front of Ross. Whenever I rewatchFriends, I’m always glad when Charlie leaves.
1Ramona Nowitzki
The Big Bang Theory (2007-2019)
Sheldon meets a few people who he believes understand him inThe Big Bang Theory,but Ramona Nowitzki is definitely not one of them. The obsessive graduate student first meets the genius in season 2, and she becomes so obsessive that she essentially imprisons Sheldon so he will focus on his work.
Ramona falls in love with the idea of Sheldon,and it’s impressive how she manages to be even more annoying than him. The threat she poses toAmy and Sheldon’s relationship inThe Big Bang Theoryis nothing really, but it’s still strange she lacks such self-awareness. Perhaps she simply doesn’t care, but either way, she loses any chance of redemption almost immediately.
